


10 Times Davey Was Confused About Being the Mom Friend +1 Time He Understood It

by crutchiebytheway



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: 10+1 times, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Child Abuse, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Character Death, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-14
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-05-06 15:54:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5423033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crutchiebytheway/pseuds/crutchiebytheway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every group of friends has the "mom friend." </p>
<p>It's simply how life works. Where there are kids trying out stupid ideas, there will be at least one friend fussing and watching out for them.</p>
<p>Davey was that friend, for reasons he didn't understand. He really wasn't even that much of a mom. Not really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	10 Times Davey Was Confused About Being the Mom Friend +1 Time He Understood It

**Author's Note:**

> I posted a headcanon on tumblr about David not understanding why he was the mom friend until he realized none of his friends actually have moms. 
> 
> This fanfic followed.

**Lover Boy: ******_got the part!! r u proud of me mom?? ___

David stared down at the text flashing up at him.

_Mom. ___Stop a few bad ideas and suddenly you've got a title.

_Nice job Romeo! ___I knew you could do it!

He dropped his phone back on the counter, freeing his hands to run through his hair. That's one thing he didn't think he'd ever understand.

* * *

David awoke with a jolt.

The sudden movement surprised Jack, asleep on his right, who took his arms off of David's waist and rolled to his side.

Where was he?

The floor of Finch's living room. 

What time was it? 

The clock on the wall told David that it was almost 3 in the morning. The TV still played on, despite being long abandoned by its watchers.

So Jack was on his right, Crutchie and Finch were wrapped up on the couch, Henry, Albert, and Katherine joined David and Jack on the floor, Spot and Race somehow both in one arm chair, and Elmer and Buttons were asleep in the other.

Romeo slept alone on the pullout bed.

Where was Specs?

A crashing sound from the kitchen followed by a soft "Shit!" provided the answer.

David found him crouched down on the kitchen floor, sweeping pieces of broken glass into his hands.

"Trying to make tea," he muttered. "Broke the glass."

"Let me help," David offered. He crouched down beside him and shoveled bits of glass into a pile. "So what's up, Specs? How come you're out here and not asleep?"

Specs let out a long sigh.

"It's him. Romeo. He reaches out for things in his sleep. Did you know that? He needs someone to hold onto."

Specs ran his fingers through his hair.

"You have feelings for him," David concluded.

Specs nodded weakly.

"That's rough."

"I know."

David shifted his weight, scooting across the floor until he was right next to Specs, their arms pressed against one another. He fiddled absentmindedly with the glass in his hand, searching for words.

"You know, anyone would be lucky to have you, Specs."

"Yeah, thanks, Mom," he replied sarcastically.

"I mean it!" David exclaimed with a poke to Spec's side. "And if you really feel that way, you should just talk to him."

Specs opened his mouth, but no sound came out. 

"Do you honestly think it'd be the end of the world?"

Specs nervously slide his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. A smile slowly spread across his face. "We'll see."

* * *

"You're fucking with me."

David bit back a grin. "I don't know, am I?"

Race went back to tearing open the wrapping paper. When he was finished, a stuffed toy, Timon from The Lion King, laid in his lap.

"Dave," Race began. "This may be the greatest gift I have ever received in my life! I mean that."

Racetrack bounded across the room and through himself at David. He wrapped his arms around David's neck, still holding the plush toy. "Thank you, Mom."

David frowned for a moment. "You're welcome."

* * *

"I'm coming in!" David yelled. He fumbled with Henry's door handle. A few drops of broth burned his hand, and he tried not to cry out from the sudden pain.

"I'm in here," called a hoarse voice from the couch. What he had previously thought to be a bundle of blankets, David discovered, was actually Henry buried underneath.

"I brought some homemade chicken noodle soup."

Henry slowly but surely began wiggling out of his cocoon until finally, his upper body was visible. He slurped the soup, loudly and slowly, as if to try and savor every last drop. They sat like this, in silence, until Henry finished. 

Henry was the first to break the silence.

"My Momma used to make me soup." 

"Did she?" David pondered. "So did mine."

Henry nodded. "Yeah. She made chicken noodle soup, just like this. So thanks for bein' my Momma for the day, Dave."

"Sure thing." Dave sat back in the chair. "You want me to stay here for a bit?"

"Mmhmm," Henry hummed lazily. He was asleep within minutes.

* * *

"Do you want to talk about whatever just happened?"

"No," Albert spat, turning in his seat to stare out the car window. "It's over and I'm not thinking about it for the rest of the night."

Davey allowed himself to tear his eyes off the road, only for a moment, to check on Albert. There was nothing he could have been looking at out the window; it was too dark to see. The bruise that sat high on his cheekbone seemed to throb.

"I'm sorry I couldn't bring any ice," he offers. "I came as fast as I could."

Albert softened. "Thank you," he says in a low whisper. "For coming."

"Of course. Whatever you need, Albert."

"I just...couldn't spend another night in that house, you know?"

David did know. Funny, how just a year ago, he couldn't even imagine the terrible things Albert and many of his other friends had to experience. Now, it could keep him awake with worry almost every night. 

"So where you headin' to, Albert?"

"Wherever they'll have me."

Dave made a sharp turn. "We have an extra bed."

Albert turned to look at him. "You're a real mother hen, you know that, Davey?"

"So I've been told."

* * *

"I just want you to call me if anything goes wrong, ok?"

Buttons groaned. "Ok Mom, I'll call if I need anything. Which I won't. He's a good guy."

"Look, it's not that I don't trust you or anything, " David scoffed. "It's that I'm not sure I trust Morris."

"I'll be careful!"

"And I'm sure you will!" David reassured. "But the Delancey's aren't known for being careful."

"I'm sure I'll be fine." Buttons gave David's shoulder a pat. "And home by 10. Promise."

He began to step out the door. 

"Wait!" Dave shouted. "Have fun!"

Buttons grinned, ear to ear. "Will do!"

* * *

Katherine let out a squeal at the sight of their friend and ran down the aisles of the theatre. The others, feeling challenged, raced ahead. They hit Finch with such force that he let out a small "Oof!"

"That was amazing!" Racetrack yelled.

"You have such a great voice, Finch!" Shouted Crutchie.

Davey hung back slightly, waiting for the group to break up. In his hand he clutched a large bouquet of flowers.

Finch was slowly weaving his way through their group when he got to David, who handed him the gift. 

"You sounded spectacular, Finch. Can't wait to hear you sing more."

Finch's eyes, which were already damp, now began to spill over. He reached out and pulled David into the tightest hug he could muster. 

"Thank you, Mom."

* * *

At this point, Davey didn't care what time it was. Or if Katherine was expecting him. 

"Hey, Kath!" He yelled into her home. "I brought coffee."

Katherine lifted her head abruptly from the kitchen table. She had a mark on her forehead from where it rested on the table. 

"Oh my god," she exclaimed. "Caffeine!"

As Katherine gulped down the drink, David began to explain. "It was already pretty late and I was still working on a paper myself. Crutchie may have tipped me off that you were still working, and here I am."

Katherine gasped and set the now empty cup on the table. "You're a life-saver, Dave. Honestly."

"I try," he joked. "Now, I'm gonna stay here and write, but don't overwork yourself ok, Katherine? I'm watching you."

"Dave," she began. "Stop being such a mom and start writing."

David huffed in disagreement, but did as he was told and began to type.

* * *

Crutchie's face lit up when he laid eyes on David. "Hey! You came!"

"Of course I came!" David shook his phone. "You sent for me, didn't you?"

Crutchie let out a laugh. "My hero." He gestured towards the TV. "We've been watching Spongebob if you wanna join."

Crutchie's cousin sat next to him, babbling indistinctly. 

"She's cute," David commented. 

"Hello!" The little girl shouted in his face. Crutchie gave him an apologetic look. 

"I'm not really sure how to take care of kids," Crutchie admitted.

"I'll see what I can do," David promised.

Luckily, she took an instant liking to David, and it only took a few episodes of Spongebob and she was fast asleep in his lap.

"Wow," Crutchie marveled. "You must have like, the Mom Gene or something. That was incredible."

"Ehh," said David passively. "I grew up with Les, you know? Sarah and I watched him a lot."

"Still. You're like, really good with kids." 

David ran a hand through the girl's hair instead of answering. She sighed in her sleep, and shifted so that she was closer to David, as if proving Crutchie's point. 

"Would you ever want kids?" Crutchie continued.

David considered it. "Maybe," he finally said. "I don't know, it's something to discuss with Jack when we get to that point."

Crutchie nodded. "Well, any kid of you and Jack is gonna be spoiled to no end."

"Ain't that the truth."

* * *

"Holy shit."

"No, I know it looks bad," Elmer ran a hand through is hair as he said his, spreading more pancake batter onto his forehead. "But if we both work together on this, it can be cleaned up in no time."

David looked around Elmer's kitchen. To say that it "looked bad" would be an understatement. For one thing, pancake batter was everywhere. On the counters, the cabinets, splattered on the floor. David even thought he saw some clinging to the ceiling. Assorted pots, pans, and other cooking utensils lay unused around the room, and the whole thing smelled vaguely like something was burning.

"This is fine," Elmer assured, standing proudly in front of his mess. "I just need some help."

David licked his fingers and wiped at Elmer's face. "You've got pancake batter."

"Ew gross, Mom germs! Davey! That's disgusting!"

"Hmm, remind me again, who's helping you clean?"

Elmer quickly stopped protesting. "Thanks, Mom!"

* * *

As David slowly opened his eyes, he vaguely became aware of the persistent knocking on his door. He hoped his family wouldn't wake up. Who would be coming to his house at this hour?

Through blurred vision he made his way downstairs and opened the door to find none other than Jack Kelly shivering on his doorstep. 

"What are yo- hey," David cut himself off when he realized Jack was crying. 

"I'm sorry, Davey," Jack apologized when he was ushered inside. " I just, I don't know where else to go. "

"It's fine," David reassured. He led Jack to his bed and sat down next to him, a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

"My father is dead. Died in prison earlier today."

"Oh my god," David whispered. "Are you ok?"

"I don't know," Jack admitted. "I should be more upset, right? He's my father. And now he's dead."

"Oh, Jack." David pulled him into a hug and held tight. 

"My father was a bad man, Davey. He did very bad things." 

"I know," David said, but he didn't. Not really. Jack had talked about it a little bit, but had never been able to work himself up to the task of fully discussing his father and the trauma he caused. Most of what David knew was from Jack's moments where he'd just stare, or start shaking, or find himself in a confined area and need David to get him out, to somewhere where there was space for him to move. 

"I should be more upset, but I'm not. I'm not. He was a bad man."

They sat in silence until Jack spoke again.

"Not my mother, though. My Ma was beautiful. She used to tell me stories about cowboys and she'd sing to me." Jack choked on his words. "I miss her."

Jack let out another sob and fell onto David's chest. It was weird for Dave to see Jack so open like his. So vulnerable.

"It's alright," he whispered, anything to make him feel safe. He placed a small kiss to his cheek, and eventually, Jack fell into a fitful sleep in David's arms.

This was also different for David. Between him and Jack, he was usually the little spoon. Not that he was complaining. Tonight more than ever, David would do anything Jack needed to feel comforted.

That was when David had a moment of realization. Why he was the mom friend.

Most of his friends didn't have moms of their own. And he was willing to care for them.

David's heart filled with a sudden rush of affection. If he was the mom friend, so be it. He'd be the best mom friend there ever was.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment, kudos, bookmark if you liked it! Let me know what you liked, didn't like, or if you found a mistake! I'd love to hear from you!


End file.
